


threads of fate

by blindinglights



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Alternate Universe - Werewolf, Blade of Marmora Keith (Voltron), Galra Keith (Voltron), Getting Together, Half-Galra Keith (Voltron), Happy Ending, Keith and Shiro keep showing up in alternate universes, M/M, Mob Boss Keith (Voltron), Mob Boss Shiro (Voltron), Mutual Pining, Pining Keith (Voltron), Vampire Keith (Voltron), Werewolf Shiro (Voltron), mention of past Shiro/Curtis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-12 17:06:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29014056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blindinglights/pseuds/blindinglights
Summary: Waking up back on Earth when they were supposed to be somewhere deep in space is a little disorientating. It’s not the weirdest thing to happen to them, but when things have been relatively quiet for the past few years, it ends up leaving Keith a little shaken. When he looks down, it confirms that Shiro is still with him, so at least he didn’t get transported by himself. He doesn’t know why they’re back here, but he wants to find out.(Or: Keith and Shiro keep showing up in alternate universes where they're happily together)
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 47
Collections: Fandom Trumps Hate 2020





	threads of fate

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Johan](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Johan/gifts).



> hello! this is for T/johan who won me in the fandom trumps hate auction last year! thank you for your prompts/ideas, this was interesting/fun to write! I hope you like this. and thank you so much for donating to your charity of choice and giving me the opportunity to finally write one of my favorite pairings. Keith and Shiro are the best.
> 
> thank you to pin for reading this over for me <3
> 
> alternately titled: and then they were soulmates

Waking up back on Earth when they were supposed to be somewhere deep in space is a little disorientating. It’s not the weirdest thing to happen to them, but when things have been relatively quiet for the past few years, it ends up leaving Keith a little shaken. When he looks down, it confirms that Shiro is still with him, so at least he didn’t get transported by himself. He doesn’t know why they’re back here, but he wants to find out. 

“Hey, Shiro,” he says as he tries to shake Shiro awake. 

Shiro groans and starts to turn over, but Keith tries to shake him again. “What, Keith?” Shiro asks, voice sleep rough. “I’m trying to sleep.” 

“We’ve got a problem,” Keith says. “Looks like we’re back on Earth.” 

That makes Shiro finally wake up with a jolt. He looks around, his eyes widening as he takes in that they’re in some shack out in the desert. Keith’s pretty sure it’s not the same one he knows well. Or used to know well, back when he was younger. There’s differences. But it’s definitely in the same area. He knows when they walk out of this small building they’ll be met with a familiar stretch of desert. 

Shiro hurries up and out the door, with Keith following quickly behind him. Sure enough they’re met with desert. It’s just before sunset, the sky a bright orange as the sun is setting along the horizon. It’s as unbearably hot as Keith remembers.. 

“We’re back home?” Shiro asks as he looks around at their surroundings.

“I think so,” Keith says. “I don’t know how we’re here.”

“We were just in space,” Shiro says. “This doesn’t make sense. How did we get here this quickly?”

Keith shrugs as he stares out at the expanse of desert in front of them. He can see the signs of the nearest city on the horizon. It’s starting to come alive as the sky darkens, little lights twinkling in the distance, barely noticeable. He bumps shoulders with Shiro next to him and points. 

“There,” he says. “We should get there by the time it gets dark.” 

“So we’re back home,” Shiro says. 

“Looks like it,” Keith says with a shrug. “Don’t even ask me how this is possible.”

“I’d say this is weird, but,” Shiro trails off. 

“But weird stuff always happens,” Keith finishes for him. “It just hasn’t happened for awhile now.”

“Yeah,” Shiro sighs.

It takes them a little bit to reach the city. Sure enough, it’s dark out when they finally get there. Keith’s first instinct is to head to Shiro’s apartment, but that’s clear on the other side of town, and Keith is dying of thirst. His second instinct is to call up Hunk, Pidge, or Lance but he knows neither of them are currently on Earth. Hunk was on some planet vacationing with Shay, Lance was on New Altea, and Pidge was traveling space with her family on a special “Family Bonding Trip”. Keith blows out a breath and looks around. 

Everything looks the same. From what he can see, nothing looks out of the ordinary. Not really, anyway.

There’s a restaurant nearby and Keith directs Shiro over to it. “Let’s get something to drink and then head toward your place.”

“Yeah, sounds good, Keith.” 

When Keith pushes the door open, he’s met with a busy little place. There’s low lightning, with a bar on one side and booths and tables on the other. He’s never been here, nor does he ever remember a place like this, he wonders if it’s just opened. There’s always new places opening up, and it’s not as if Keith keeps up. But Shiro doesn’t look like he remembers this place either, not with the way he’s looking around as if he’s seeing it for the first time, and Keith knows Shiro stays current. So that doesn’t make sense to him, unless maybe Shiro missed it. 

Neither says anything as they make their way toward the bar. There’s one bartender who is busy making drinks and another that’s busy talking to customers. Keith leans against the counter and tries to get one of their attention. The one that was busy talking pushes away from where they were chatting up customers and comes to greet them with a warm smile. 

“What can I get you?” he asks. 

“Two waters,” Keith replies, because there’s no way they’re ordering drinks when they’re already confused about how they got back to Earth in the first place. He feels like they should be sober to deal with whatever this is. 

“Sure,” the bartender says with a smile. “Coming right up.” 

The bartender fills two small glasses with water, sliding each to them, before going back to what he was doing before. Keith takes a long sip before looking around the bar again. 

“We need to think of a plan.” 

“Maybe we should call Pidge and the others.” 

“Weren’t they busy?” 

“Yeah, but,” Keith sighs. “We just figure this out on our own?” 

Shiro nods. “We don’t have much of a choice here. We’ve worked through things together before. What’s one more weird thing? We can figure it out ourselves. If we can’t, then we’ll call them.”

“Okay, yeah, they’ll be our last ditch effort.” 

The bar gets louder as the night grows on. After draining his glass of water, he tugs Shiro out the door and down the street. They hail a cab easily and Keith gives the driver the address to Shiro’s. It takes them about fifteen minutes to get there, but once they are Keith quickly pays the driver and then stares up at Shiro’s apartment building.

Beside him, Shiro’s head is cocked to the side as he surveys the building. “Something is...off about this place.” Shiro’s words are stilted, and Keith watches him take cautious steps toward the front doors. 

It does look different, but Keith can’t put a finger on just what it is. Shiro looks back at Keith, before he finally pulls the door open. Keith follows him inside and to the elevator that takes them to Shiro’s floor. For the most part, everything looks like how Keith remembers. They exit quickly and make their way down the hall to Shiro’s door. Once there, Shiro pats his pockets but seems to come up empty. 

“No key,” Shiro says. “Shit, it must be back on the ship with all of our things.” 

“Of course, whatever happened didn’t give you your key.” 

“No,” Shiro says with a shake of his head. “That would be too easy.” 

“And I don’t have an apartment anymore, and if I did, I’m guessing I wouldn’t have my-” Keith’s stopped short by a loud noise coming from inside the apartment, and they both freeze, eyes trained on the door. 

A door which the knob is clearly turning. 

Keith expects to see some intruder. Instead he’s met with someone who looks identical to Shiro. His first thought is that somehow there were more clones left, and this is just them, though that doesn’t even explain how they’d even get to Earth and in Shiro’s apartment. He doesn’t even get to have a second thought, because this Mystery Shiro’s eyes are widening and he’s looking back over his shoulder and saying, “Baby, you might want to come and see this.” 

In the next moment, Keith is staring into the eyes of someone who looks exactly like him. Wherever they are, it’s clearly not their Earth. The only thing he can think of is this is some alternate timeline of them and they got, what, transported here? Somehow? It’s the only thing he can think of, and it actually explains the weirdness of the place. The apartment building is off, the bar that Keith doesn’t remember, and the feeling he gets just being here. 

“I think we’re in an alternate timeline, Shiro,” Keith blurts out. 

“You know what, I think so too,” Shiro says.

The other Shiro’s face scrunches up in adorable confusion. The other Keith keeps staring at them, and it almost feels like a predator watching prey, his gaze almost calculated. 

Keith’s brain is a little caught on the fact that the other Shiro called him - or a version of him - baby. “What do you mean by baby?” A little dumbly, because he knows why. There’s only one thing that means. 

The other Keith raises his hand, which shows off what is clearly a wedding ring. Keith opens and closes his mouth, looking like a fish out of water, and follows them inside. He doesn’t dare look at Shiro, doesn’t want to know the look on his face at all, and instead focuses on the expression flitting over their doubles’ faces.

“You smell different,” the other Shiro comments, and Keith’s eyes widen. Well, that’s a strange comment to have come out of his mouth. 

“Smell different?” Shiro asks, his head cocking to the side in confusion. 

“You don’t smell like we do,” the other Shiro says, and Keith and Shiro are still confused by this, because none of it makes any sense whatsoever. How do they smell different? Why do they smell different? 

“Baby, I don’t think they’re getting it,” the other Keith tries to tell him. 

Realization dawns on the other Shiro’s face. “Oh, you don’t know. I’m a werewolf. Keith here is a vampire. You both smell human. Well,” the other Shiro pauses, his gaze turning solely to Keith, “you smell like a human and something else that’s unfamiliar.” 

“I’m half human, half Galran,” Keith says, but by the look on both of their faces they’re even more confused.

“But the Galra are a vampire coven,” the other Shiro says. “That doesn’t make sense. How are you half Galran?” 

“Maybe we should head inside to talk before our neighbors start asking questions,” the other Keith suggests, which sounds like a great idea.

They’re led into the living room, which has dark, comfortable looking couches with black out curtains that are currently shut tight. It’s a nice, cosy looking living space. There’s a tv in a corner of the room, and from where he’s standing he can see into a kitchen that’s a decent size. It’s not a large apartment, but it’s nicer than the average one. 

The other Keith tucks himself against the other Shiro’s side, wrapping arms tight around his waist. They look nice together, like they’re two puzzle pieces that fit seamlessly. Keith swallows hard as he eventually takes a seat next to the Shiro he knows. There’s plenty of space between them and for the first time in a long time, he feels how far apart they are - and have been lately. 

The trip out to space was time to spend time together, away from the busyness of life and responsibilities, and enjoy doing something they both love which is exploring the deep recesses of space. Shiro had just gotten out of a marriage and Keith was taking time off from the Blades, so they had all the time in the world to travel together. A last minute decision that both thought would be best for both of them, plus Keith missed Shiro terribly. 

It’s not the first time that Keith’s felt the telltale signs of jealousy brewing in him; first it was Shiro’s past boyfriends, and now it’s his alternate self that gets to be with Shiro. But now isn’t the time to dwell on what he can’t have; now is the time to figure out what this world is.

“So you mentioned the Galra, which sounds different from what we know,” the other Keith says. “Can you explain?” 

Keith sighs, glancing over to his Shiro who is sitting calmly next to him. Keith starts explaining about their world, about aliens and traveling space, and their doubles watch with rapt attention to his story. He tries to keep it short, though he knows he could probably go on for a while. They have questions - of course they do - and Keith and Shiro both try to answer them the best that they can, but it’s a little hard when you’ve been dropped into a universe vastly different than your own and these things don’t exist for them. 

When he’s finished, once the questions have come to a stop, he takes a deep breath. “So you’re...a vampire and a werewolf?” 

The other Keith smiles, showing off what are clearly fangs, and Keith can’t help the startled noise that falls from his lips and how he reaches over to grab at Shiro’s arm.

“Going to guess we don’t exist in your world,” the other Keith says. 

“Different universes, different us,” Shiro muses. “I don’t know how we got here or why, but here we are.” 

“This is weird, even for us,” the other Keith says, “but we don’t have much room to talk, since most of this world doesn’t know that werewolves or vampires exist. If we exist here, then another universe isn’t too out of the question.” 

“Yeah,” Shiro laughs. “I guess we’re both in very different worlds than the average person.” 

Shiro could say that again. Although in their world people know about the existence of other civilizations out in space, and the people in this world have no idea that the supernatural exists. They lapse into silence after that. Keith stares at his pants, where there’s a loose thread. He has an urge to pick at it, but he refrains from doing so. 

Eventually, the other Shiro speaks up. “You can sleep in our spare bedroom. Ignore the mess, we’re in the middle of moving.” He laughs nervously, rubbing his hand along the other Keith’s back, like just touching him calms any of his nerves.

“You bought a house?” 

“We just got married a few months ago,” the other Keith explains, “so we had to wait for our lease to finish before we could move. Now’s the time. Shiro needs more space to run.”

When the other Shiro pulls the other Keith in for a quick kiss, Keith looks away, his face heating at the easy display between them.

Shiro excuses himself to the bathroom, which leaves Keith sitting alone in a room with their alternate counterparts. When he looks up at them, meeting his alternate’s eyes, it’s to see a curious expression on his other self’s face. 

“What?” Keith asks, feeling a little defensive, nervous. 

“You two aren’t together, are you,” the other Keith notes, but it’s obviously not a question. Because it’s painfully obvious, isn’t it? 

Keith shakes his head, biting his lip. 

“You want to be,” the other Keith notes, eyes narrowing in suspicion. “I really don’t see why you aren’t.”

“It’s complicated,” Keith says. 

“How complicated?” the other Keith asks. “Because I see-”

“There’s nothing to see, okay. We’re just friends, that’s all.” He doesn’t want to hear whatever his other self was going to say. 

The other Keith scoffs. Keith doesn’t dare look up to meet his eyes, but he hears the other Shiro try to get him to back off. “You’re hopeless and oblivious.”

“I’m not-” Keith starts to say, but his other self rolls his eyes. 

“You are, and I really hope you wake up and realize it for yourself,” his other self says and Keith falls silent. 

“We’re going out for a little bit tonight, but feel free to help yourself to the fridge and the tv,” the other Shiro says, just as Keith sees his Shiro walk back into the room. 

Just as the two leave for the night, his other self shoots him a pointed look, but Keith just looks at him blankly. He’s surprised they’re being left alone here, but their alternate selves must sense they’re trustworthy. Once they’re gone, Shiro states that he can just sleep on the couch, but Keith tells him that he doesn’t have to do that. They can share a bed. It’s fine. Shiro shoots him a small smile and they settle onto the couch to see what kind of television this universe has.

Turns out, the tv isn’t much different than what they get. 

It’s only a few hours before their alternate’s come back with more questions. They end up talking late into the night until Keith is left yawning. Shiro ushers him toward the room they are shown and Keith’s quick to fall asleep once his head hits the pillow.

-

They wake up in a new place the next day. 

What Keith isn’t expecting is to wake up to Hunk and Lance sitting in chairs in front of them. Keith’s currently lying on top of Shiro, both of them curled up together on a couch that feels like the comfiest thing he’s ever laid on.

“I thought you weren’t supposed to be back until tomorrow,” Hunk says, and that doesn’t sound right, because Hunk’s on vacation with Shay. He’s not expecting Keith and Shiro at all. 

“Uh,” is all Keith can manage to say, because he’s pretty sure they aren’t back to their own universe yet. 

“Did something happen, boss?” Lance asks, and it takes all of Keith’s sheer willpower not to look as surprised as he currently feels by those words. He doesn’t think he manages, because both Lance and Hunk narrow their eyes at him. Lance’s phone rings a moment later and sure enough that, by the look on his face, that call must say Keith on it. Or Shiro. Lance’s eyes narrow further. “You’re not them. You look like them, though.”

When it looks like Lance is going for the gun on his hip, Keith quickly pats Shiro on the chest, urging him to wake up. Lance’s phone continues to ring, and coupled with Keith’s incessant patting, Shiro finally starts to wake up. 

“You should get that,” Hunk says, nudging Lance in the side. “You know he doesn’t like to be kept waiting.” 

Lance motions over to where both Keith and Shiro are sitting, as if to say, _uh are we not going to address this yet?_ But Lance answers the phone and immediately says that they’ve got an issue. Keith doesn’t know what this universe of Keith and Shiro are like, but it seems like they’re entangled in something. Guns and being called boss? It doesn’t sound right to him at all. 

Keith looks down at Shiro who is staring wide eyed at the scene before them. Lance is relaying what he’s seeing to someone Keith still isn’t sure exactly who it is. He has a good feeling, at least.

 _Another?_ Shiro mouths and Keith nods. 

When Lance ends the call, he stares at them with narrowed eyes. “Alright, here’s the deal. You aren’t allowed to go anywhere ‘til the boss comes back. They were supposed to return tomorrow, but this,” Lance waves a hand, “whatever this even is, caused them to come back tonight.” 

Hunk stands up, one hand close to the gun on his hip, but instead just says, “So if they’re coming back tonight, I’m making dinner, to deal with _this_.” 

“You’re leaving them with me?” Lance asks. 

“You’ve taken out a few Galra before,” Hunk points out. “What’s the difference between that and this?” 

“Because this is weird!” Lance nearly yells. “I mean look at them!”

“Galra?” Both Keith and Shiro ask at nearly the same time. 

“Yeah,” Lance replies slowly. “They’re enemies. Why, you know them? Is that why you’re here?” 

“No, they’re enemies of ours too,” Keith says.

Hunk raises his hands and sighs. “This is too weird. I’m going in there.” He points in the direction that Keith assumes is the kitchen and he watches as Hunk quickly leaves the room. 

“So you fight the Galra here too,” Shiro says. “But I have a feeling they’re very different than where we’re from.” 

“What are they like where you’re from?” Lance asks. 

Shiro and Keith glance at each other. They should probably wait for this universe’s Keith and Shiro to show up before they start saying anything too substantial. They come to a silent agreement. 

“We’re going to wait for your bosses to show up before we talk,” Shiro says. “If that’s okay with you.” 

“And what if I say it’s not?” Lance asks then. 

“Then we still won’t talk,” Keith replies. 

Lance regards them for a second before sighing loudly. “Fine, don’t talk. I’m going to sit right here and watch you both ‘til they get back.” 

A moment later, Keith’s face heats when he realizes he’s still lying on top of Shiro. He quickly sits up and moves away, putting some distance between them. As he starts to move away, Shiro runs a hand along his back, their hands brushing as Keith scoots toward the other side of the couch. Keith’s face burns redder and he tries not to think about what that might mean, because that line of thinking never ends well and he knows better than to get any sort of hope. Knowing Shiro, he’s probably just trying to offer Keith some comfort during this strange time.

Lance doesn’t even turn a television on, so all three of them sit in silence while they wait. It’s not even an hour later when Keith hears what sounds like the front door opening and several people talking. Lance quickly stands up but doesn’t make a move to greet whoever got here. 

Keith doesn’t expect to see both himself and Shiro in suits. Their outfits look expensive and pristine, and they look important. 

“You weren’t kidding,” this other Shiro says. 

The other Keith narrows his eyes. “Is this some joke?” 

“Not a joke,” Keith tells him. 

“And kinda hard to explain,” Shiro adds, and yeah, it was much easier to explain to the first version of them they met because that world was already vastly different. But this here seems like it won’t go as easy as they’d hope it will, but there’s no hurt trying. 

“We’re from another universe,” Keith tries. “Another version of you both.”

“Lance, leave us,” Other Keith orders. 

“But-” Lance tries, but other Keith shoots him a glare and Lance leaves the room quickly, most likely headed to where Hunk is currently.

The other Shiro takes a seat in the large comfortable looking chair in front of the sofa and Keith watches as the other version of himself takes a seat right on the other Shiro’s lap. Keith looks between them, feeling surprised. Clearly, they’re together. Keith can tell in the way that Keith settles on his lap, the way he wraps an arm around Shiro’s shoulders. Keith looks away, feeling the same way he did before. He’s not going to lie, he’s a little jealous that other versions of them in other universes seem to be together, but Keith can’t have Shiro in his own universe. 

“What do you two do?” Shiro asks, pulling Keith away from his thoughts. “You look important.” 

“We’re in the Blade of Marmora,” the other Keith replies. “A mafia ring, except we only hurt those who hurt others.”

“The Galra,” Keith guesses. 

“So you do know of them,” Other Shiro says, suspicion dripping from his tone. 

“Not the way you’re probably thinking,” Shiro tells him. “In our world, they’re aliens that tried to take over all of space. They were run by Zarkon and Haggar.” 

“The Blades exist in our world too,” Keith says. “But they’re a group of Galrans who turned against the Galran empire. I’m a part of them.”

“Aliens?” the other Keith asks. 

“People from other planets,” Shiro says.

“We know what aliens are,” Other Shiro says. “But it’s hard to wrap our minds around it.”

“When they don’t exist in your world,” Keith says. “But I’m telling you, that’s what they are in ours.”

The other Shiro rubs a soothing hand along the other Keith’s back and laughs. “Guess it’s not that weird, kitten. We are talking to alternate versions of ourselves right now.”

“It could just be a ploy by the Galra to get to us,” Other Keith grumbles.

“Doubtful,” other Shiro says. “They’re not that cunning to figure out how to do something like this. They’d send people undercover and have in the past, but people that look exactly like us? I don’t see it.” 

“This is still weird,” Other Keith says, “but I guess you do have a point, Takashi.” 

“We’re sorry to just drop in here like this, but we don’t really know how this is even happening,” Keith apologizes. “I wish we could just go home.” 

The other Keith shrugs with a wave of his hand. “You’re here now for whatever reason. Hopefully you can go back home. For now, you can answer more of our questions.” 

Keith nods. They can easily do that. If they have more questions, they have the answers. Well, hopefully. But Keith and Shiro have questions of their own. Periodically, Keith spots Hunk and Lance peeking around the corner to see how they’re doing, but most of the time they’re left alone. 

Keith learns about the mafia ring that this version of Keith and Shiro run together. He learns about how they got together, how long they’ve been together, and all the stories in-between. Just like the last universe they were in, this Keith and Shiro have been in a long term committed relationship. They’re married, just like the last. They’re in love, and Keith’s just reminded with how much he doesn’t have what they have. 

He wishes for it, but he knows it won’t happen. Thankfully, this version of them doesn’t give him a talk about it, but the other Keith does give him a few looks like he wants to say something but holds himself back. 

Just like the last universe, they’re shown a spare bedroom that he has to share with Shiro. And just like last time, Keith settles down next to him and tries not to think about everything he’s been faced with so far.

-

To Keith’s surprise, they wake up the next morning exactly where they were the night before. He thought for sure that they’d either wake up in another universe or they’d be back to their own. He was hoping for their own, but he doesn’t think it’s going to be as easy as hoping. He wishes it was, because he’d really love to just hold Kosmo instead of facing whatever this going to different universes is trying to get him to face. His jealousy, his pining, he doesn’t know. 

Keith makes his way out of the room and follows the sounds of soft music coming from one of the rooms. He comes face to face with a large library. This house is huge, more like a mansion than a home, and Keith’s hit by just how rich this version of them is. It makes sense for a powerful mafia family to have a home like this, just like in all of the movies he’s seen.. 

He slowly walks through the archway and finds his other self sitting in an armchair, his legs thrown over the side with a book in his hands. When Keith takes a few more steps into the room, his other self slowly looks up until their eyes meet. 

“Hey,” the other Keith greets, a small smile on his face. He points over at the chair opposite his and adds, “You should take a seat.” 

“Hey,” Keith parrots back as he makes his way over. “You look like you have something to say.” 

“Yeah, I do, but I don’t know if you want to hear it.” 

Keith sighs, leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. Of course, this version will have something to say too. Part of him doesn’t want to hear it, but another knows there’s no way he’ll get out of it. 

When he opens his eyes to chance a look at his other self, it’s to see a kind of sad look on the other’s face. “I’m surprised you two aren’t together,” is what comes out of his alternate’s mouth. 

Keith shakes his head. They’re not, never have, and Keith has been dealing with the fact they never will. Why does he keep being faced with this, that other versions are happy and he’s, what, managing to get by? Keith closes his eyes again, tries to retreat into himself instead of dealing with whatever expression has graced his alternate’s face.

“You should tell him how you feel, Keith,” his other self says. “You won’t know how he feels if you don’t. If I have him in this world, then why can’t you have him in yours?”

“Because in my world, we’re just friends and that’s all it’ll ever be,” Keith replies, voice solemn. Defeated. God, he always feels defeated. “I’ve started to learn how to deal with it.” 

“You don’t act like you have,” the other notes. “You should tell him. Maybe you’ll be surprised.” 

“I don’t know if I can.” 

“Think about it. He’s my entire life, and I don’t know how to deal with knowing that in another universe that I don’t have him. I’d like to think you just don’t have him yet.” 

“I’ll consider it,” Keith tells him, but he doesn’t know if he’ll ever do any more than that. But if it quells whatever the other is currently thinking about the situation, then he’ll do it. He’ll think about it. 

-

Keith spends the rest of the day wandering around the house. He finds Shiro talking to his alternate self, but Keith doesn’t interrupt. They seem to be deep in some conversation that a part of him wishes he knew what it was. Whatever it is, the look on Shiro’s face has his stomach swooping with something he doesn’t want to think is hope.

They’re probably just talking about their lives, that’s it. It isn’t like Shiro feels how Keith does, so there’s no way he’s talking about Keith at all. 

-

The next day when he wakes up, they’re clearly not where they were the night before. The room is a little dark so Keith can’t make out much at all, but from what he can tell it’s different from previous places. He has a feeling they’re not back in any of the previous universes they’ve visited so far. Shiro’s still next to him and is sound asleep. Keith can’t help the soft smile that graces his face as he stares down at him. He hates to wake him up, but they kinda need to figure out where they are now. He has some hope that maybe they’re back in their universe, but he’s doubtful. 

“Shiro, hey,” Keith says, shaking Shiro lightly. 

“Wha’?” Shiro asks tiredly.

“We’re somewhere new,” Keith says. “I think.” 

Shiro tries to wipe the sleep from his eyes as he looks around the room. As Shiro looks around, his eyebrows furrow in adorable confusion. With a little bit of light filtering in from a window, Keith can just barely make out that there’s a table of some sort along with a few things that look like gardening supplies. 

Keith stands up and he dusts his pants off before he heads outside. 

His mouth falls open when he realizes that they’re apparently in a shed of some sort that is in the yard of a really nice house. They’re not at all where Keith thought they were. Looking back, he realizes it is pretty small and nothing at all like he was thinking. It’s definitely a shed, although a little bigger than what Keith is used to for one. So maybe it’s more like a little work area instead.

“Uh, Shiro?” Keith calls out. 

“What is it?” Shiro asks, and immediately stops in his tracks and whistles at the sight before them. “Nice house. I’d wonder whose it is, but it looks like we’re traveling to different versions of us.”

All of a sudden they hear someone who clearly sounds like Pidge yell, “Keith! There’s two people in your yard that look an awful lot like you and Shiro!”

“Yep, it’s us alright,” Keith says. “But to have a house like that, I wonder what we even do in this universe.”

“I can afford a house like this in ours,” Shiro says.

“Okay, you’re right, but for both of us together,” Keith says, voice trailing off. Sure, it’s not much different than their world, but it’s not like Shiro even has a nice house. He just has a really nice apartment, because it’s just him. There’s no need for either to get a big house in their universe if they’re alone; Keith’s pretty sure he’d just be as lonely as he already is, and he doesn’t need a big house to sit in his living room and pine his life away over one Takashi Shirogane. 

A dog bounds out of the house a few moments later. They’re large, black with a little bit of white mixed in, and they’re beautiful. Just as the dog is halfway to Keith, his double is at the door calling their name and looking a little frazzled. 

“Pidge, you weren’t kidding,” other Keith says, eyes widening in surprise. 

Pidge lightly punches him in the shoulder. “Told ya.” 

“Who are you?” the other Keith shouts as he starts coming closer. “And why are you on our property?”

“We’re you,” Keith tells him just as the other Shiro comes barreling out of the house. 

“This is probably going to be harder to explain this time, isn’t it?” Shiro says, only loud enough for Keith to hear him. 

Keith only shrugs as he watches a version of himself stalk across the grass toward them. The dog is still bouncing all over the place, bounding over to Keith and Shiro as if he can’t tell that these two aren’t his real owners. Keith, though, is still helpless to the adorable happy dog and he crouches down to start running a hand through the thick fur. He wonders briefly if this is a version of Kosmo, but in dog form. 

“Kosmo! Stay away from the strangers,” Other Keith shouts, and yep, it certainly is. 

“Baby, I don’t think they’re dangerous,” Other Shiro tries to assure him as he makes his own way across the lawn. 

“But why are there strangers in our yard looking like us? Is this some joke?” the other Keith asks. 

“It’s not a delusion brought on by all of your studying, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Pidge tells them. “There really are doubles of you in your backyard.” 

Both Keith and Shiro raise their hands in surrender. 

“It’s a long story, but if you let us come inside, we try our best to explain it,” Shiro says. “Although we don’t know a whole lot, we can at least explain where we’re from.” 

The other Keith narrows his eyes like he doesn’t quite trust it, but he turns to look at the other Shiro over his shoulder. “What do you think? You think we should let them talk?” 

“I think we should,” Other Shiro replies. “This might be the weirdest thing to happen to us, but the least we could do is let them try to explain it. If we don’t, I know it’ll bother you.” 

The other Keith lets out a heavy sigh. “Fine, come inside, we’ll talk in the living room.” 

The house is stunning. The backdoor leads into a mudroom that’s even equipped with a full sink, with jackets and boots lining the wall. There’s a dog bed stuffed against one corner, a counter filled with odds and ends, and stuff scattered everywhere. Even from just this little part, Keith can tell how lived in this home is. Kosmo runs over to grab a ball and tries to show it to Keith, but the other Keith scolds him and says they’ll play later. Maybe if this goes well, Keith can play with him a little bit. They were in the last place for a good amount of time, and who knows if it’ll end up being the same case.

If it’s one thing he’s noticed, it’s that the first place was only a night and the second place was two nights. He wonders if that means they’ll be here for three days, and who knows how many other places they’ll be transported to and how long those stays will be. He really hopes they’re not trapped in some strange loop where all they do is go universe hopping. Keith just wants to go home. He wonders how Kosmo is doing in his universe. Is Kosmo just hanging out on the ship they were on, wondering where Keith went? Or is time suspended and nobody knows they’ve gone anywhere at all. He has so many questions, but he doubts any of them will get answered. Not anytime soon, anyway.

Keith stops short when they make it to the living room. 

On the walls are several photos. Most of them are either of Keith and Shiro together, all of them showing them happy and in love. But there’s a few of his mom - who doesn’t have her usual purple color. Instead she just looks like Keith, human. That’s not the most surprising. The biggest thing is seeing his dad standing next to his mom, because of course in this universe Keith got to grow up with both of his parents and live a happy life. 

“You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” the other Shiro says, voice tinged with concern.

“H-How is he doing?” Keith asks, pointing over at the photo with the four of them in it. His dad is grinning wide, his arm wrapped around Krolia’s waist. 

The other Keith glances over at the photo in question, his eyebrows scrunching in confusion. “What do you mean?” 

Keith clears his throat. “In my universe, he died in a fire. I spent my childhood in foster care.” 

“What do you mean, in your universe?” the other Shiro asks at the same time that Keith can hear how his double’s breath hitches. He sees the surprise written all over the other Keith’s face. 

“We’re from another universe,” Shiro says. “We’re you, just from somewhere else.” 

“So you’re telling me multiple universes exists.” The other Keith’s words are slow, stilted like he can’t believe what he’s even saying or hearing right now.

It’s not surprising that a world that seems as average as this would have a hard time grasping things that they think only exist in science fiction. They could both try to explain to them about how it’s real, but they can’t even begin to explain it, since neither knows how they’re universe hopping in the first place or even why. 

“They exist, we’ve been to a few so far,” Keith says. “We don’t know why we’re showing up in different universes. In each of them is a version of me and Shiro.” 

Both him and Shiro try to explain where they came from and what’s happened so far. There’s so many questions that neither of them quite know how to answer, but they do their best. This universe’s Pidge is nowhere to be seen, and he wonders where she went off to. Even in this universe, he thinks Pidge would be interested in hearing about this. But he supposes this is a conversation best suited between the two versions of Keith and Shiro. 

After they’re done, Shiro ends up asking about this world and about themselves, and they spend a good hour listening about how this universe’s Shiro is a published author and that Keith is currently attending grad school. He listens as he’s told about how they got together, and how they’re currently engaged and waiting until Keith is finished with school to tie the knot. Both Keith and Shiro are quiet the entire time they’re being told this, with Shiro only occasionally asking questions or saying his congrats, and Keith wants to scream. He wants to know what’s going through Shiro’s head right now when again they’re being told their other versions are happily together.

But he doesn’t think he’ll get that, and plus he’s too afraid to ask.

-

Keith really needs fresh air. He pushes past Shiro, mumbles about how he just needs to be alone, and makes his way out of the room and out the backdoor. There’s a swing set on the back porch. A nice bench one that even has a blanket tossed along it. Keith sits down, the wood creaking under his weight as he stares up at the stars. It was the middle of the day when they showed up here, but now it’s nearing nighttime. They must be in an area with not as much light pollution, because as the sky starts darkening he can see the little twinkles of stars in the distance. 

He rubs his hands into his eyes and groans. Every universe has been the same. They’ve been happy together and Keith’s happy for other versions of himself, but he can’t help the ache he feels at knowing he can’t have that. He doesn’t know why he’s being subjected to going to all of these different universes. Is it life trying to throw it in his face of what he can’t have? Because it’s sure doing a great job at it. 

The swing moves as someone sits down next to him, and Keith looks up to see alternate him looking concerned. Almost pity in his eyes as he surveys Keith sitting here drowning in his own pining and angst. 

“So, you two aren’t together,” other Keith says, but it’s not a question. He can tell clearly that they’re nothing but friends. It has to be clear as day in the way they’re not as close as the others were. Close friends, sure. But they’re not as touchy as the others, they don’t scream together. “He doesn’t know how you feel, does he?” 

“No,” Keith replies. “We’re just friends.”

“But you want to be together,” Other Keith states.

“Is it that obvious?” Keith asks, and then looks over at the door to make sure Shiro’s nowhere in hearing distance.

“Don’t worry,” Other Keith assures. “The others have his attention, so if you want to say anything, I’m listening.” 

“Thanks,” Keith says, rubbing the back of his head. 

“So come on,” Other Keith urges, nudging him in the side. “Tell me.” 

“I’m in love with him,” Keith confesses. “It’s kinda hard not to be. He’s... amazing. I’ve been in love with him for years. There was a lot of stuff we didn’t tell you earlier. But we’ve been through a lot. I thought he died twice. I got him back and I’m in love with him, but I’ve been okay just being friends, because at least I have him. You know?” 

“Yeah, but you should tell him,” Other Keith says, and Keith snorts. 

“Not happening,” Keith tells him. 

“You might be surprised,” Other Keith says. “Did you ever stop to think that you’re traveling to all these universes and you’re together, that maybe that means you’re meant to be?” 

“I don’t know, it seems like that would be too good to be true.” But this alternate version does have a point even if Keith doesn’t agree with him. Yeah, it’s weird that all versions so far have been together, but there’s no way it means that they can get together after all. 

“You might be surprised, I saw the way he looks at you.” 

A laugh bubbles out of Keith’s mouth, a little manic. “I think you’re mistaken, because I know him and I don’t believe he feels the same as I do.” 

“Give yourself a break,” other Keith nudges his knee with his own. “You won’t know unless you try to talk to him about your feelings. I know it’s scary. We might’ve had a different life here, but it was still scary right before Shiro and I got together here. But after? It’s been the best time of my life.” 

“So you’re telling me to take a leap and talk to him?” 

“Yeah.”

“I don’t know if I can do it. I don’t want to mess up and end up losing him for good.”

“It’s Shiro,” other Keith points out. “In what universe would Shiro ever leave you because of feelings? You and I both know that Shiro isn’t like that.” 

“Yeah,” Keith breathes out. He’s got so many good points, but Keith still doesn’t know if he can. 

“Just do me a favor and think about it, alright?” 

“Yeah,” Keith nods. “I’ll think about it.” 

The alternate Keith stands up, dusting off his pants and doing a short stretch. “I can’t believe I just gave myself a pep talk.” 

Keith laughs. “I know, it must be weird.” 

“Yeah, but it’s fine, if it means helping you two get together. I can’t imagine a world without him.” 

“Me too,” Keith says, voice quiet. He swallows hard, this alternate’s words going through his head. He’s considering the advice, but he doesn’t know if he’ll take it. Or even when. 

“We set up a room for you both to share. We don’t have a lot of spare rooms, and I’m not letting either of you sleep on the couch.” 

Keith nods but he doesn’t make a move to get up just yet. He’ll be in eventually, but right now he just needs time to himself, to think about everything that’s happened thus far and everything that the other Keith tried to tell him. It all sounds so simple, but he’s struggling with actually going through with it. The other must know what he wants to do, so he just tells Keith to turn lock the door when he goes inside and tells him where the room is. 

When he eventually makes his way back inside and into the spare room, Shiro’s laying on the bed with a book open. It’s got his own name written on the cover, and Keith can’t help the smile that pulls at the corners of his mouth at seeing Shiro reading something another version of himself wrote. 

“Is it any good?” Keith asks as he crawls into bed. 

Shiro seems to take a moment to consider this. “It’s pretty great. He’s got a way with words, I can see why he got so popular here. But it’s weird reading this, knowing an alternate version of me is who wrote it.” 

“Maybe that means you can write a book of your own in our world,” Keith comments.

Shiro laughs. “No, no that’s not happening.” 

“You never know, maybe you can write a harrowing adventure out in space.” 

“Yeah? You think I can do it, and it’ll become the next bestseller?” 

“You can do whatever you want, Shiro,” Keith tells him, voice sincere. “And it’ll always be great.” 

Shiro ducks his head. Keith doesn’t know if it’s the lighting in the room playing tricks on him, or if Shiro’s actually blushing. If he is, Keith doesn’t know what to do with that information, so instead he looks away. There’s more books on a shelf and quite a few of them have T. Shirogane on them. Keith slides off of the bed and heads over to the shelf, picking a random book off of it and starts skimming through the pages. The few passages he reads are good, and he can see what Shiro was trying to say before. 

There’s a chair in a corner of the room and he plops down onto it so he can keep reading through the book. He ends up getting lost in it, but he’d rather be lost in a book than lost in his thoughts about the man who is currently laid out on the bed before him and his mess of feelings. 

He must read for a long time because the next time he looks up, Shiro is fast asleep on the bed. He’s still lying above the covers, with the book slowly falling out of his hand. He looks peaceful where he lies, his mouth slightly open. Cute, Keith thinks, and makes his way over to the bed. He crawls close enough to take the book from Shiro’s hands and gently, carefully urges Shiro to get underneath the blankets. Shiro bats a hand at him, mumbling something unintelligible that almost sounds like “trying to sleep”. Keith lets out a breath of a laugh. 

He could say the three words right now, and Shiro wouldn’t hear him. But he thinks if he said them outloud, they’d make them even more real. And more painful. Take a chance, the other Keith had urged him, but Keith’s a coward. 

But there’s a part of him that’s growing ever closer to it, just a spark of courage, and he thinks, _maybe one day_.

-

Keith was fully expecting them to be stuck in that universe for three days, because it seemed like a trend that was starting since it was one day in the first and two in the second. But when he opens his eyes, they’re lying in a bed surrounded by walls that are very clearly not in a house or apartment on Earth. They’re on a ship, but it’s not theirs, not the one they were on at one point before all of this started. So he supposes this is yet another universe they’ve been transported to.

“Shiro,” Keith calls out, shaking Shiro awake. “We’re somewhere different again.”

Shiro groans. “Where are we now?” His eyes are still closed, like he’d rather stay asleep than face whatever this is. Sleep is tempting, but Keith would rather figure out what’s going on now.

“A ship,” Keith replies. 

The more he looks around, the more familiar the surroundings become. This almost looks like a room in a Blade ship. He can tell in the way the doors are, the purple lighting lining the walls and door, and familiarity he feels being here. But there’s no way they’re on it in their universe. It’s interesting to think the Blade exists in another universe, and he wonders the differences. 

“The Blade of Marmora,” Keith says. “We’re on a Blade ship, but I don’t think we’re back in our universe yet.” 

“You think so?” Shiro asks as he looks around, eyes wide in wonder. 

“I’ve spent enough time with them to know it when I see it,” Keith says.

“But maybe we’re back,” Shiro says, but Keith shakes his head.

“Doubt it, Shiro,” Keith tells him. “It wouldn’t make sense we ended up here, when we were far away from any of their locations and in our own ship.” 

“So a different universe where they still exist.” Shiro gets up to walk around the room, poking and prodding at various things. The room is dark, except for the little bit of purple lighting, so Keith gets up to turn on a light. There’s a switch near the door and Keith taps it, watching the light slowly turn on and illuminate the room.

There’s a few photos near the bed and Keith walks over to pick one of them up, his mouth falling open. 

“Yeah definitely in another universe,” Keith says, waving the photo at Shiro. In the photo, Keith looks almost the same, except for a few more Galra traits and his hair is in a long braid. Shiro stands next to him, looking almost the same, except he still has his Galra arm. 

Shiro’s got a similar arm now, after having gotten rid of the floating arm and replaced it with something a little more manageable. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of differences, though, and Keith is left wondering what the major differences are here. 

“We must be in their room,” Keith notes as he sets the photo back down. 

“Should we try to go exploring?” Shiro asks. 

Keith shrugs. On one hand, they could probably do it. But on another, if this is a Blade ship, then seeing two people who look like Keith and Shiro but have some differences is going to raise the threat level and Kolivian is going to immediately do something about it. The last thing they need is to be chased by people they see as allies in their own world. 

“Maybe we should wait here,” Keith says. “Our alternate versions should come here eventually, right?” 

Shiro nods. “Yeah, I don’t see why not. That’s a good idea.” 

Keith settles back down on the bed, pulling his legs up underneath himself as he leans back against the wall. The more he looks around, the more he finds the room to look almost exactly like his back in his own universe. The photos and a few other items around the room are different, but the layout is about the same. Does this mean there might not be much differences, except for they’re together in this one as well? 

Keith sighs, bumping his head against the wall. Of course there’s a similar universe where they’re together. Even more of a slap to the face that he’s not with Shiro. Maybe this just means it’s not meant to be for them, but just for all other versions. But then he thinks back on what the last Keith had told him, that maybe it means he needs to take a chance already. Keith really doesn’t know if he’s up for doing that. They’re friends, and if that’s all they’ll ever be, then Keith is okay with that. As long as he has Shiro in his life, he’s happy. 

But then he looks over at Shiro, who is still curiously looking around at everything, and he’s hit by how much he loves him. How much he wants to be with him. Keith sighs again and picks at the loose string on his pants. 

The door slides open a few minutes later, startling them both. Keith’s gaze flies to the open door. A moment later, he watches as this universe’s Keith walks inside, watches as he stops in his tracks and stares wide eyed at Keith and Shiro. 

The other Keith quickly draws his blade, the same one that Keith has, and Keith sucks in a breath. Not many differences at all. 

“Who are you?” the other Keith demands.

“You,” Keith simply replies. 

He walks in, still holding out his knife like he’s waiting for either one of them to make some move, so Keith and Shiro keep absolutely still. 

“We’re you,” Shiro says. “But from another universe.” 

“I don’t know if I can believe that,” the other Keith says, but he walks a few feet closer, his arm still outstretched defensively. 

Keith really doesn’t want to fight his other self, but if he has to, then he will. 

“Babe, put down your knife,” the other Shiro says, finally walking into the room. “I have a feeling these two aren’t dangerous.”

“How do you know? What if the Galra had cloned us and sent them in,” the other Keith guesses. 

“Highly unlikely,” Keith tells him, because there’s no way they’d make it onto this ship if they were. Not with the high security that the Blades have. “We all know that Kolivan wouldn’t let just anyone on this ship, especially not doubles of us. He’d be immediately suspicious, especially if you had no reason to leave or come back quickly if you had.” 

With that, the other Keith finally lowers his arm, although he keeps himself armed. “That’s true.”

“This doesn’t seem as different than our universe,” Keith says. “So I’m wondering what it’s like here, if you can tell us.” 

The other Keith and Shiro share a look before the other Keith starts talking, relaying all of his information. It turns out, there’s some big differences, but most of everything else has been the same. Voltron and the fight with Zarkon stayed the same. They freed the universe from Galra rule. Everything is safe and fine now, and they can start rebuilding and help the universe heal.

And somehow, Allura never died here. Keith clutches the blankets underneath him at that news, and he hears the way Shiro sucks in a startled breath at the information.

When the other Keith says that he grew up with the Blade of Marmora, it makes Keith freeze. “What do you mean?” 

“Mom raised me,” the other Keith answers.

“And dad?” Keith asks, voice quiet. 

“He died protecting us, so we could flee Earth,” the other Keith says.

“So everything else is the same, except raised by mom and the Blade of Marmora instead of on Earth.” Keith rubs the palms of his hands against his legs, trying to come to terms with this difference. “So we met Shiro on the ship he was held captive on instead?”

“Yeah, thanks to Keith, I was able to escape,” the other Shiro says. “But we went here, instead of Earth. We only went to Earth when Krolia told us the Blue Lion was there.” 

“So Team Voltron was formed differently,” Shiro says. “That’s...interesting.” 

Yeah, it’s very interesting. Keith can’t really imagine growing up in space, and he wonders how different his life must’ve really been. Of course, there must’ve been more danger, more fighting, but at least he had his mom by his side. He wonders how different his personality must be, or if he’s still somehow the same person, just with a few different life experiences. 

“So what now?” 

“We can go to mom,” the other Keith suggests. “We can’t really have you here without them knowing.” 

All Keith can do is nod, because his counterpart does have a valid point, although he’s not sure how good of an idea this really is. There’s not really any way of hiding on this ship, though Keith knows some of the secrets. It’s still not easy.

-

They get escorted out of the room and led to Kolivan and Krolia, who are currently in the living quarters. Keith’s still trying to come to terms all the differences between here and his world, especially the fact he was raised here. He has so many questions, but he doesn’t even know where to begin asking them. 

The halls they walk through are almost identical to what he knows. When they reach the living quarters, Krolia and Kolivan are sitting on two sofas and talking, but they suddenly stop when they see that there’s two Keith’s and Shiro’s. Kolivan’s expression is what he expects it to be - gaze calculating, his mouth set in a firm line. His mother’s expression is one of surprise, and she’s out of her seat in an instant. 

“What is this?” she demands as she goes to stand in front of Keith. 

“Us from another universe,” the other Keith says, “apparently.” 

“Somewhere similar to how this world is,” Keith explains. “But a little different.” 

She puts a hand on his hair that's currently pulled into a ponytail. “Your hair is a little short. You haven’t gone through Galra puberty just yet either.”

Keith blushes at that, staring at the ground. “Um.” She’d mentioned it before back in his own world, about how he’d change a little as he grew older. Even if he was grown by human standards, Galra were different. He’s already taller, more filled out than he used to be, but nothing else has really changed yet. He looks over at his alternate self and notices how his ears are a little pointed, his eyes a little more yellow, and wonders if there’s any other differences that he just can’t see. In the low lighting of the room, he couldn’t notice these differences, but out here the lighting is bright enough. 

Which must mean these versions are probably older than they are.

“No, I haven’t,” Keith blurts out, feeling his face heat more. God he feels like he did back when he was on the space whale with her, when they had their first heart to heart and she had talked to him about Galra biology and he had wanted the ground to swallow him up. It was enlightening information, but it is still a little embarrassing to be getting the talk from his mother. “We’re different from them.”

“I can see that,” she says. “So are you wanting to know how you get back to your universe? I’m afraid we don’t know how to help you.” 

“We’d like to know, but I have a feeling there’s no real answer. We just keep waking up in different universes.” 

“From the sounds of it, you’ll go back whenever you do,” the other Shiro notes and Kolivan makes a sound of agreement. 

He wants to be surprised that they don’t know how to help, but he’s not. A little upset, because he’d like to go home already, but he supposes they have no choice here. Whenever they manage to go back, they will. He wishes he knew why they’re here. He thinks back to what the last version of him said and tries to mentally shake it away. There’s just no way that they’re here as some way of telling him to, what, go for it with Shiro? 

“Do you have a room we can stay in?” Shiro asks. 

“Yeah, if you want to follow us,” the other Keith says. “We have a room open next to ours you can stay in.” 

“Thank you,” Shiro says with a bright smile. 

When everyone starts walking away, Keith stays rooted where he stands. Before him, their alternates are holding hands, right out on display in front of everyone like it’s the easiest thing to do. He knows everyone must be staring at him, wonders what he looks like staring transfixed at this. He chances a lookup to see his own Shiro looking at him concerned. Keith shakes out of it and finally starts following them back down the hall. 

“Are you okay?” Shiro asks, falling into step beside him. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, Shiro. Just thinking about something,” he assures him. _Just thinking about all the things I can never bring myself to say_ , he thinks but doesn’t voice. He wonders briefly what Shiro has been thinking about the fact they’re together in every alternate universe they visit, but asking him would also be opening up the giant can of worms that is Keith’s feelings, and he’s not sure yet that he’s ready to take the advice yet and talk to him. 

_You need to say something_ , Keith thinks. _Stop being so scared_. 

“We’ll make it back to where we belong,” Shiro assures him, bumping shoulders with him. “I can’t say when, but I’m hoping soon. Kosmo must be worried about us.” 

Keith laughs, his bad mood dispelling so easily at Shiro’s words. “If he even knows we’ve been gone. For all we know, maybe time stood still back home.” 

“It’ll be okay, Keith,” Shiro tries to reassure him. Their hands brush as Shiro’s hand falls to his side, and Keith thinks about how easy it would be to grab it and mirror their other selves. 

-

Keith doesn’t stay in the room they’re given long. He tells Shiro he’s going to stretch his legs a little and he wanders out of the room and down the hall, following the way he knows by heart to find the large window that looks out into the large expanses of space. Back in his world, that’s where he’d usually wander off to think, because it always brought him so much calm to just look at everything in front of him that stretched on for miles. 

When he gets there, he’s not at all surprised to see his alternate’s standing there. Of course they’d have the same favorite spot on here. Keith stands next to him but doesn’t speak. He doesn’t want to, isn’t even sure what he could say except to ask countless questions about how he got together with Shiro. He knows this version is a little older than them, and it makes him wonder if they got together at a certain age, and wonders what that means for himself.

Maybe he should talk to Shiro and stop being so scared of ruining his relationship with Shiro. 

“You’re stuck in your head,” the other Keith says, tapping a finger on the glass. “I know that look on your face, because it’s the same one my Shiro always tells me I have when I’m stuck in mine.”

“I’m just thinking,” Keith says.

“About what?” 

“About how every alternate universe we’ve traveled to, other versions of me are with Shiro,” he replies quietly, a little sadly. “I don’t know why it keeps throwing it in my face.” 

“I don’t think that’s what’s happening,” his other self says. “Stop and think for a moment. It’s probably telling you what’s been right in front of your eyes the entire time.”

“But-” 

“But nothing. You should tell him how you feel.” 

Keith sighs. “That’s exactly what the other Keith’s told me.” 

“Listen to yourself, then, and do it. Before it’s too late.” 

“He’s already been married,” Keith explains. 

“Is he still?” 

“No,” Keith says with a shake of his head. He still feels a little guilty for the relief he felt when Shiro told him about his divorce. He had squashed that feeling away and instead was there for Shiro. But there was still a part of him, pushed back, that was a little happy. “No, he got divorced and he’s single now.” 

“Then go for it, before he finds someone else and that relationship ends up permanent.” 

Keith rests his head against the glass and closes his eyes. Maybe they’re all right. Maybe he should finally confess to Shiro, tell him how in love with him he is, and hope for the best. If all other versions of himself get to have Shiro, then why can’t he? He tries to think about how he can say it and when. Does he say it here? Will that fix this universe jumping that they’ve been doing? Is it really the answer to it all? Keith sighs deeply and opens his eyes, staring off into his favorite scenery before looking over at himself.

“Okay,” he concedes and watches the slow smile appear on his other self’s face. “I’m going to finally tell him.” 

“I don’t think there’s a universe where you’re not meant to be with him,” the other Keith tells him, voice sure and confident. “We’re meant to be. He’s my better half. True love. Mates.”

“Soulmates,” Keith breathes out when it dawns on him. “ _Oh_.” 

“Soulmates,” other Keith agrees. “Talk to him.” 

Keith nods, feeling frozen in place at the revelation. The other Keith squeezes his shoulder before he walks away, seemingly back to his room. Keith stays right where he is for the longest time, trying to go over everything; the different universes they’ve gone to, the things he’s been told, and even tries to think of his own interactions with Shiro. He ends up walking back to the room they were given on almost autopilot. He’s not sure how long he stood there, but when he gets back Shiro’s already half asleep on the bed. He doesn’t know what Shiro did to pace the time.

He lays down next to him and thinks about confessing right now, but Shiro ends up curled up next to him. To Keith’s surprise, Shiro wraps an arm around his waist and tugs him close, until Keith’s back is to Shiro’s front. He thinks about saying it now, but by the way Shiro’s breath is slow like he’s asleep, he doesn't want to disturb him. 

Tomorrow, he decides. When they wake up, even if they’re still here, he’ll finally tell him.

-

To Keith’s surprise, he doesn’t wake up next to Shiro like he has been. As he starts to wake up he realizes several things. One, he’s very clearly back on the ship that they were in before all of the universe hopping started. And two, Shiro must be sound asleep in the other room of the ship. Keith spends the longest time staring up at the ceiling before he manages to get himself out of bed. He stumbles out of the room and across the hall, where he slaps the button to open Shiro’s door. 

Shiro’s still fast asleep. His blanket is tangled up in his legs, with one leg hanging slightly off the side of the bed. 

“Shiro,” Keith calls out as he makes his way over, but he doesn’t wake up, just turns on his side and stays asleep. Keith crawls into bed, plastering himself against Shiro’s back. “Shiro,” he tries again, right against his ear and tries shaking him awake.

“Wha’ is it, Keith?” Shiro asks as one hand comes up to wipe at his eyes. 

“We’re back,” Keith replies, resting his head against Shiro’s back. “We’re where we should be.” 

“Good, that’s great, Keith,” Shiro says around a yawn. “It’s weird we kept traveling in our sleep.” 

“I need to talk to you,” Keith says, moving away enough to let Shiro turn to face him. 

Shiro’s hair is stuck against his face and Keith can’t help but reach out to move it away from his eyes. His hand lingers, though, resting against the side of his face as he tries to think of the right words to say. He opens his mouth to finally say the words he’s been feeling for so long, but is cut off by Shiro’s mouth on his. He gasps into the kiss, gripping tighter to Shiro’s face as Shiro kisses him like he’s been dying to do it for a long time. 

“I love you,” Shiro says when they break away, smiling softly. 

He leans in again and claims Shiro’s mouth in another kiss, moving even closer until Shiro’s arm is wrapping around his waist and tugging him until they’re flush together. 

Shiro kisses like a dream come true. 

They should talk, he knows that they should, but he’s too busy kissing him to say anything. They kiss for what feels like forever, until Shiro finally pulls away. Shiro’s grinning and he can’t help but return it. When Shiro runs a hand along his side, until it rests against his leg, Keith can’t help the little shiver he feels. He doesn’t want to move away, fully content to stay right where he is in Shiro’s arms. 

“I love you too,” Keith manages to say.

“We kept seeing ourselves together, and it drove me crazy thinking about how I haven’t told you yet.” 

“Me too. They kept telling me to tell you how I feel.” 

“Took us long enough, Keith,” Shiro says with a laugh, resting his forehead against Keith’s. 

“The last version of me told me something,” Keith starts to say. “Do you believe in soulmates?” 

“We’re soulmates,” Shiro says in answer. 

“Soulmates,” Keith agrees. “To the point we hopped universes just so we could be told to confess.” 

Shiro runs a hand down his back, then back up again until he’s pushing a hand through Keith’s hair. Keith closes his eyes and sighs, feeling truly content and happy than he has in a long time. “You should grow your hair out more, like your Galra version,” Shiro suggests, voice soft. “I’ll even braid it for you. You looked hot like that.”

“Yeah? You think so?”

“No matter what, you look hot, but yeah, grow your hair out longer.” Shiro rubs fingers into Keith’s scalp until Keith lets out a soft noise that Shiro ends up swallowing in a kiss. “I love you,” Shiro breathes out against his mouth when he pulls away for a second. 

“Love you, too, Takashi.” Keith kisses him again, because he’d much rather be kissing him right now than talking.

After all, they have their entire lives to talk. For right now, he’s going to enjoy the soft brush of lips against his own, and the way that Shiro kisses him as if he can’t get enough.

**Author's Note:**

> hi! thank you so much for reading! comments/kudos are very much appreciated. 
> 
> you can find me on tumblr @darkenednights and twitter @fairestzack!


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